Mothers' Experience of Stress Following the Birth of a First Child: Identification of Stressors and Coping Resources¹

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify, through a retrospective methodology, stressor and coping resource variables which are involved in mothers' experience of stress one month after the birth of a first child. The variables were identified on the basis of previous work in this field, and were categorized as stressor or coping resource variables according to the writmgs of authors in the larger domain of stress and coping. The influence of interactive and additive combinations of stressors and coping resources, as described by Wheaton (1985), were also examined in a multiple regression model. A fivevariable model, accounting for 58.74% of the variance of a measure of the experience of stress, was obtained. Discussion focuses around the predictive possibilities of such a model, the impact of coping resources, and on the potential for utilizing this model for describing the process of adaptation following this event over time.

Differences in Parenting Stress between Married and Single First Time Mothers at Six to Eight Weeks After Birth

“…Use of short assessment tools such as the PSI/SF could be used during a normal postpartum visit to the physician or nurse practitioner. Tessier andcolleagues (1992, p. 1334) assert that "resource building" in the prenatal period will benefit the infant after birth and that it is not the birth of baby, nor the daily stressors that are most significant in the process of stress for the new mother, but the personal and social resources as perceived by the mother that determines her level of stress. This is validated by Belsky's (1984) belief that it is the parenting contribution that is the most effective determinant of parental functioning.…”

“…However, research has revealed that becoming a mother can be a stressful experience and more complex than previously thought. Many factors are related to the development of parenting stress including social support (Gage & Christensen, 1991;Levy-Shiff et al, 1998); self-efficacy (Lutenbacher, 2002;Reece & Harkless, 1998); personality (Belsky, Crnic, & Woodworth, 1995;Mulsow et al, 2002;Younger, 1991); cognitive appraisal and every day stressors (Levy-Shiff et al, 1998;Tessier et al, 1992), and infant temperament, difficulty, birth weight and sleep patterns (Becker, Chang, Kameshima, & Bloch, 1991;Gelfand et al, 1992;Halpern, Brand, & Malone, 2001;Pridham, Chang, & Chiu, 1994;Secco & Moffatt, 2003;Terry, 1991). The mother's perception of stress and the degree of role ambiguity in the mothering role also may affect the mother's transition to parenthood (Gage & Christensen, 1991;Reece & Harkless, 1998).…”

“…Maternal adaptation to the arrival of the first child is considered to be process-type phenomena that may be influenced by the mother's resources in her immediate environment (Tessier et al, 1992), and her perceptions of everyday stressors (Pridham et al, 1986). For example, Pridham and colleagues (1986) investigated the stressors and supports of 62 mothers during the first 3 months after birth and found that the types of stressors experienced by the mothers changed over time.…”

“…Further, parenting stress exerts negative influences on both the quality of maternal-infant interaction and role acquisition. Parenting stress affects the mother's ability to assess infant cues and to appropriately provide care and comfort (Pridham, Egan, Chang, & Hansen, 1986;Tessier, Piche, Tarabulsy, & Muckle, 1992). First-time mothers who experience significant stress during transition to parenthood may have unrealistic expectations of parenting that may hamper adaptation to the maternal role (Belsky, 1984;Kach & McGhee, 1982;Levy-Shiff, Dimitrovsky, Shulman, & HarEven, 1998).…”

High-risk pregnancies, psychological distress, and dyadic adjustment

“…During the first postpartum year, most parents complete the major developmental tasks associated with their parental roles and usually do so relatively well (Eagan, 1985;Kalmuss et al, 1992;Mercer, 1990). The psychological upheavals associated with the transition to parenthood are generally transitory and of modest intensity, and most parents progressively cope with the many demands of this stage without major difficulties (Campbell et al, 1992;Mercer, 1985;Tessier et al, 1992;Terry, 1991). However, in a high-risk pregnancy context, this period of psychological instability may last longer and be more intense.…”